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Benedict Allen

Benedict Allen has become one of today's best known and inspirational explorers, through his seven books detailing his travels and of course his unique BBC Television programmes. Benedict lives the boys' own annual dreams of challenge and achievement. He differs from most conventional explorers in that he learns about survival and the places he visits from remote tribes, not from scientific equipment. Truly eco-friendly, he generally takes nothing with him to these communitiesno equipment, maps, compasses, simply throwing himself on the mercy of local populations, adapting to and learning from their true environment.

Benedict's latest expedition was broadcast as a six-part BBC2 documentary, called Edge of Blue Heaven - an intimate account of his breathtaking 3,000 mile trek around the land of Genghis Khan, including a six week lone crossing of the Gobi Desert. It was a story that captured the imagination and the hearts of many, with his passionate presentation of the expedition.

Benedict Allen became the first person to be allowed to walk the full length of the 'Skeleton Coast' of Namibia in South Africa, which is littered with diamonds! Benedict walked the gruelling 2,000 kilometres over three and a half months with three reluctant camels. Captivating the public as he shared the experience on screen. During the journey he had to survive extreme temperatures, negotiate some of the world's highest sand dunes and cope with numerous dangers - from training his camels, to keeping lions at bay at night with fire-...that unfortunately acts as a beacon to charging rhino!

One of Benedict's most dramatic experiences is referred to in his book Enter the Crocodile Nest which documents how he became the only non-tribe member to have undertaken the Niowra initiation ceremony. This punishing ritual was to make him a man as strong as a crocodile -the results of which can be dramatically witnessed, for Benedict bears the astonishing tribal markings that resulted from having his skin gouged with bamboo and whipped with branches to leave a pattern resembling crocodile scales!

Benedict Allen's other explorations include crossing North East Amazonia on foot and by dug out canoe, covering more than 600 miles, a journey described in his first book 'Mad White Giant' and hunting for the elusive ape man of Sumatra. He presented an episode of 'The Great Railway Journeys' series for BBC TV called, 'Mombasa to the Mountains of the Moon' and another expedition, searching for the Wild Lake of the Amazon was filmed as a Video Diary for the BBC and gained the highest rating ever made. He has since been commissioned by BBC Television to make two new series this year. The first to be screened Autumn 1999 features the Matto Grosso region of Brazil, retracing the steps of the 1920's explorer Colonel Fawcett and the second will be looking at 'shaman' and medicine men around the world.

The unique Benedict Allen uses his experiences to inspire the 'explorer' in us all. His fascinating stories of human endeavour put across messages of personal development and achievement and of coping with challenging and changing circumstances. His charming personality belies the grim determination he draws on to complete his thrilling expeditions, but it is this charisma too that has endeared him to a vast public audience. He has motivated thousands with his passion for creating awareness of other incredible cultures, whilst developing self awareness and the skills, even the humour, to deal with everything from life threatening situations, to loneliness.

Benedict regularly addresses conferences in the UK and around the world, an inspiring conference speaker, refreshing after dinner speaker and true personality.

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